Astrologer Teri Parsley Starnes welcomes you to the Starsdance. I invite you to join me in contemplating the wonder of sky and Earth. Through following the Moon, the planets, and the wisdom of the seasons and signs, my goal is to offer a useful practice of mindfulness and intention for the thoughtful seeker. Shall we dance?

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Saturday, September 8, 2007

New Moon and Solar Eclipse on September 11, 2007

Renewing Virginity

In 2001, I traveled to Greece on a tour led by Demetra George and Vicki Noble. My two favorite subjects, astrology and goddess worship, were the theme of this trip. One outstanding highlight was when the group of twenty or so women stripped off our clothes and jumped into the bay at Perachora, the site of a temple dedicated to Hera. We were enacting an ancient rite—renewing our virginity as Hera was said to do every year before her remarriage to Zeus. It was exhilarating. This New Moon reminds me of that experience.

The New Moon this month is in the sign of Virgo, the Virgin. This happens once a year, but this year’s Virgo Moon has more Virgo verve. Saturn has changed everything. After spending two years in Leo, Saturn is now in Virgo. Saturn is so important that even smaller transits like the Moon in Virgo become more noticeable. I get excited by Saturn, not because this planet signals more work, which it does, but because it promises more rewards if I do the work. So, I have been thinking about what my Virgo work may be.

That’s when I remembered the swim at Perachora. What a wacky idea — renewing virginity. This may be one of the more wonderful and whimsical things about Virgo, a sign that is often thought of as uptight and prone to perfectionism. I’d like to reclaim Virgo’s allure as well as renew her virginity during Saturn’s transit. This sign promises qualities that we need right now; attention to whole systems; integration of body, mind and spirit; “right relation” with the earth; and personal practices of service, devotion, and healing.

This New Moon is also a Solar Eclipse. The symbolism gets richer. With an eclipse the light disappears and returns. I think of eclipses as a reboot of a computer with more uncertainty about what may pop up on the screen when the power comes back. Eclipses are times when we are placed upon new paths by unexpected events. Old things can pass away quickly to be replaced with something new. Like virginity, what we think may be lost forever, gets a new life.

The questions I offer for myself and my readers for this New Moon and Eclipse is: What does virginity mean to you? What will you renew this month, this season, and during this two and a half-year Saturn transit? The constellation of Virgo shows a woman carrying a stalk of wheat. The seed head of that stalk is the bright and lovely star – Spica. This woman could be a goddess or a priestess, and she carries the best of the harvest. If you could bring back to the world the best of your harvest, what would it be? Are you willing to serve that vision as a dedicant?

Transits of note for this lunar cycle:The new moon solar eclipse chart shows a mutable grand cross aspect configuration. The planets in this grand cross are Sun and Moon (18 degrees Virgo) opposite Uranus (16 degrees Pisces) crossed by a wide opposition of Mars (21 degrees Gemini) to Jupiter (11 degrees Sagittarius). These planets can provoke action and excitability. Since eclipses are unpredictable, this configuration adds to the unpredictability. On a personal note, anyone with planets or important points in the birth chart between 16 to 20 degrees of the mutable signs will feel this eclipse strongly. Breakthroughs, new paths and intentions to serve, disruption of old forms that no longer feed you could be experienced

Storylines to follow this month are:

Mars retrograde. Mars will not be stationing retrograde this month but Mars does enter the shadow period of that retrograde journey, which begins November 15. The shadow period constitutes the degrees that Mars will retrograde back through before stationing direct and moving forward past the previous place it stationed retrograde. Mythically, I think of Mars retrograde as the hero’s journey. He has to travel back to retrieve something and then must return from that journey with his new-gained treasure. This entire Mars journey (the initial shadow period) begins on September 16 (Mars at 24 degrees Gemini) and lasts till April 4, 2008 (Mars 12 degrees Cancer). One theme for this hero’s journey may be to retrieve what is missing: a Gemini theme. The goal is in Gemini where Mars will station direct in order to return. The place Mars turns retrograde is in Cancer. What does the heart (Cancer theme) tell the hero that starts him on his journey? The beginning of this transit on September 16 will be subtle but pay attention to any urges to complete a missing piece of information, a truth or insight that will require a new point of view. What is missing for you?

Jupiter/Uranus story. This lunar month the final square between Jupiter and Uranus will perfect. Jupiter is traveling through the sign it rules and has potent information to share with us about Sagittarius. Sagittarius and Jupiter themes include belief, justice, truth, and what is learned form the point of view of other cultures. Uranian themes include freedom, authenticity, revolution, and awakening. From dreaming to doing, Uranus asks how can we be more authentic. We are in the process of fighting the old stories about religion and cultures that no longer work for the world. I sense that the revolution is one of worldview.